Hi,
I am trying to get a list of credible carbon offsets that have projects in the U.S. It appears that most offsets act as a subsidy rather than actually reducing an exact amount of carbon for a price. When I try to research " how many windmills were built using carbon offset funds," there is never a true answer. I know that there are no laws governing offsets, but for those who have reduced emissions as much as possible and need to offset a flight, this is the only viable option. We are currently looking at establishing a local carbon offset project involving tree planting and the cost to offset one ton of carbon is $57; A fight to Europe would cost over $150; this is 6 times more than any other offset sold online, which makes me skeptical about the integrity of other carbon offsets. Plus, paying your way out of pollution should not be inexpensive especially when most offsets go towards very expensive technologies. I have even come across an article where a company was creating CFCs just to destroy them and sell the carbon offsets.
Rebecca Fotu
Environmental Programs Coordinator
City of Morgan Hill
Carbon Offsets
Sign in or Sign up to comment
Hi Rebecca,
Clean Air Cool Planet has also published a fairly comprehensive Consumers Guide to Retail Carbon Offset Providers, which contains a summary chart of the providers they found most reputable, and comparing prices. You can find it at their website: http:// www.cleanair-coolplanet.org/ Just click on the link in the left column for a PDF of the report. Clean Air Cool Planet is also a well respected organization in the area of climate change and leadership.
Best regards,
Suzanne Farver
GreenFix, LLC
PO Box 296
Woody Creek, CO 81656
aspengreenfix.com
Hi Rebecca.
The David Suzuki Foundation has information on using carbon offsets including what to look for in a company - see this page: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/What_You_Can_Do/carbon_neutral ..asp?source=WhatYouCanDo.
They also include a list of companies that meet the "Gold Standard" at the bottom of the page. The Pembina Institute also has information and options: http://climate.pembina.org/take-action. Both of these organizations are ethical and well-respected.
Regards,
Nancy Webber
Coordinator/Program Development
Clean Nova Scotia
902.420.7931
[email protected]
www.clean.ns.ca